Cure mechanisms in materials for use in esthetic dentistry

The current paper reviews the curing mechanisms found in resin-based materials used in dentistry. Historical aspects of dental products and the associated curing mechanisms are reviewed. In comparison with common industrial procedures, curing methods employed for dental materials are relatively limited because of the need to polymerize quickly in the oral cavity at an ambient temperature. Heat-cure and self-cure dental resins utilize benzoyl peroxide initiator alone with a tertiary amine co-initiator. At present, most dental restorative composites use a camphorquinone-amine complex initiation, visible light-cure, one-component systems, although alternative photoinitiators have been researched and developed. A multiple curing mode in a dual-cure material is a complex combination of various initiation systems. The use of aryl sulfinic acid sodium salt to overcome adverse chemical interactions between simplified adhesives and self- or dual-cure composites is based on another self-cure polymerization mechanism, sulfinic acid-initiated polymerization, proposed by Hagger in 1948. The sodium salt of aryl sulfinic acid reacts with an acidic monomer in simplified adhesives, and is believed to produce radicals. Clinically, it is important to try to optimize the degree of conversion of resin-based materials using proper manipulation and adequate light-curing techniques to ensure the best outcome for materials used to restore teeth.